Clothes hamper



April 7, 1931. H. F. SHAW 1,799,621

" CLOTHES HAMPER Filed Oct. 31, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 7, 1931. I vH, H 1,799,621

CLOTHES HAMPER Filed Oct. 31, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invez'aZ'orthus provided.

l atented Apr. 7, 1931 unirshg rewar.- rrii fi T HAROLD F. SHAW,-O1 LEOMIN S'EER, MASSACHUSETTS; ASSIGlIOR '10 F. A. WHITNEY CARRIAGE OOMEANY, OF LEOMINSTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 'OF MAS- SAOHUSETTS v CLOTHES HAMPER Application filed October '31, 1929. serial No. roams.

This invention relates to portable receptacles from which the accumulated contents are emptied from time to time. The obgect is to provide a construction for such a (2011-.

tainer facilitating such emptying.

My invention will be well understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein by way of example I have shown a clothes hamper, the construction of which is illustrative of the principles of my invention- In these drawings I Fig. 1 is a broken section through the hamper on the line 11 of Fig. 3; V

Fig. 2 is a similar view on a different scale showing the hamper being emptied; and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, but on a different scale. Referring to the drawings the hamper. I

have therein shown as an example of the invention is of wicker construction and embodies a top frame 5', over which closesa hinged lid 7 and through which the soiled garments are deposited, and a bottom frame 9,

- ,which two frames may be spaced by the vertical frame members 11 at thejcorners, the

sides of the hamper being formed by the, wicker fabric 12 attached overthe framework To provide hand grips by which the hamper may be lifted I may form openings 13 through the fabric at either side to permit the fingers of the hand to be in serted to underlie the side elements of the top frame 5 for lifting the hamper. The l margins of the fabricaround the openlng may be secured to the U-shaped auxiliary member 15 attached to the lower face of the'corresponding side element. c

The central opening defined by the bottom frame 9 herein forms a discharge opening for the contents of the hamper which is normally closed by a closure 17 hinged at 19 to swing outwardly and downwardly; as illustrated inFig. 2. This closure may normally be held in closed position by means of latches 21 which may be pivoted to the side elementsof the bottom frame 9 and liave suitable bills engaging keepers or strike plates 23 on the ends of the closure To project the latches so that they will. snap into jengagementwith the keepersl may utilize rods I 25 pivotedto the. tails of the latches, and hav.-.

ing to rock the I-latchesfZl to the position shown inqFigL 1.. Thusif the bottom-isdee pending-in the position shown in Fig.;,2, the. mere operation of; setting the. hamper down upon the floor will cause the closure toshut andlbe latched.-

I; prov-idemean's whereby the bottom clo-l sure 1,7,;may be conveniently released-forv dis-v charging by gravity the contents of the c on-t tamer when :the latter is lifted by the hand grips, preferably substantially, as a: part. of.

the sameact: l-lereinlhave shownrtherods- 2711s extending into the hand-receiting openings 1 and being provided with; heads 311 disposediin saidopenings. One or lllOIGffiIl: I

gers of the hand introduced. into the opening may" grasp the. head andas-the hamper is lifteda natural g-ri pping movement of fthej fingers will l ft rods--25, retract ,the latches against the forceof.springs- 21 and'permit,

the ibOttOIllytO swing. under. gravity-to the position-of Fig. 2 so that theclothing may; be. discharged through ,the thenunobstructed bottom opening; VVhenemp-ty thermere act,- of; setting the hamperdown will again close thejbottom; The 'hann er. may be freely,

moved bymeans of the hand gripswithout spilling the contentsprovidedthe heads 31 arenot pressedjon at thesametime... A

I prefer to.formthe'bottomiclosure 17 in a single piece as shownand to hingethesame on the same-side of the hamper as the cover 7. This is because sucha hamper is usually placed'against anwa-ll. and the. cover. lifted from in front to permit articles to be placed therein. Inernptying it the user naturally stands in front, at the right in Fig. 2, and lifts the hamper as illustrated in Fig. 2,

raising the further bottom edge higher than embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive; reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Claims: 7

1. A clothes hamper having a discharge opening at the bottom thereof, a hinged closure therefor, latching means for the closure, hand grips at the top of the hamper, and means for releasing the latching means having an operating portion disposed adjacent a hand grip to be Within reach of a portion of the'hand en aging the grip thus providing for manipulation thereof While said hamper is supported thereby.

2. A clothes hamper having a discharge opening at the bottom thereof, a hinged closure therefor, latching means for the closure, hand grips atthe top of the hamper constructed to receive an underriding support from the fingers, and means forreleasing the latching means comprising a retractible member having a head presented adjacent a hand grip to be engaged for lifting by one or more of the fingers which are presented to the grip. I

3. A portable receptacle having an opening at the top to provide for placing articles therein and having a hinged bottom adapted When released to swing downwardly from thereceptacle, latch means for engaging and holding said bottom in position When the receptacle is set down,.handle means providing for bodily lifting said receptacle and latch releasing means disposed for actuation by the person lifting the receptacle While he supports the same by said handle means.

4. A portable receptacle comprising a top frame, a bottom frame, acovering forming the sides of the container and having openings beneath said top frame to receive the hands tograsp the frame, a bottom hinged to the bottom frame, latches pivoted in the bottom frame to engage and hold closed the bottom, guide elements adjacent the bottoms of said opening, and rods extending from said latches through said elements having heads exposed in the openings.

5. A ortable receptacle of the type providing or the gradual accumulation of contents therein having adeposit opening in its 

